Adrien: The Lukanette Shipper
by LunettePendragon
Summary: When Adrien figures out Ladybug's true identity, he instantly knows who is love rival truly is. Torn between what he wants and what he believes is best for Marinette, he decides to step to the side and encourage his lady to confess her feelings to the better man. What follows is a slew of miscommunication, misunderstandings, and oh so much angst! OBLIVIO AND SILENCER SPOILERS!
1. Chapter 1: She Loves Him

He tried. He honestly tried. But when he stepped out from behind the dumpster she was still standing there. Adrien couldn't be sure of what she was doing, but he knew that Ladybug had flown into the alley right as he was de-transforming. He had ducked out of sight before she had de-transformed, but he could have sworn she had left.

However, now he watched as Marinette Dupain-Cheng slipped her cellphone back into her purse before casually walking out of the small alleyway.

"Marinette...is Ladybug?" he whispered out loud.

"Yep! And it's about time you figured that one out." Plagg, the black kwami answered. "Now where is my cheese!?"

Adrien reaching into his shirt pocket and gave the kwami his treat as his mind began to spin. Now that he knew, it was all too clear.

_I should have seen it earlier, _he thought to himself. _No wonder I've been crushing on her more and more. _

While he had never admitted it, Marinette had been much more than just a friend to him for some time. He had thought about giving up on Ladybug and asking her out, but the fear of being rejected had stopped him. Adrien already had to endure Ladybug's rejections on a regular basis, but at least he had a mask to hide behind with her. With Marinette, there would be no reclaiming of their friendship if he told her about his growing feelings towards her and she didn't return them.

After the events leading up to the battle with Silencer, Adrien had become even more convinced that he had made the right decision. Marinette clearly had a thing for Luka and Luka clearly liked her. He had even made up a few photo shoots so that he wouldn't have to be in the video they made. Watching the two of them together was painful, but, at the same time, he was happy for her.

_Luka's a good guy, _he thought as he headed towards home. _They'll be dating soon. I could never compete with him anyways._

The walk home seemed incredibly long, even though he was only a few blocks from his house. Once inside, he collapsed on his bed, burying his face into his pillow. He had managed to not tear up during his walk, but now the ache in his chest was beginning to boil over.

"Kid?" he heard Plagg whisper, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Plagg," Adrien lied, hoping the kwami would drop the matter. But, contrary to his usual nature, Plagg didn't let it go.

"Adrien, what's wrong? I thought you would be happy to know who Ladybug is."

"I am happy. Marinette is amazing. I should have seen it sooner."

"Ok...so...ask her out." Plagg suggested. Adrien turned his head so he was facing the black kwami of destruction.

"Plagg. Are you blind?" he asked. "She's in love with Luka. That's why I quit the band."

"She's in love...wait..._that's _why you quit? You were...jealous? But I thought Marinette was 'just a friend'."

Adrien sighed deeply. It was true that he had constantly said Marinette was 'just a friend', but it was his way to trying to convince himself of that more so than anyone else.

"No Plagg. I like her. I've liked Marinette for a long time, but I didn't want to say anything."

"Because of Ladybug?"

"Well, yes. But also, I didn't want to ruin the friendship we have. And now there's Luka, so...yeah. I guess it's a good thing I didn't."

"But kid...your just going to give up? Just like that? After all this time trying to win her over as Ladybug?"

"I love her. I want her to be happy. And if that means Luka, so be it. Besides, how can I compete against _him_? He is so cool, and smooth, and I know he's going to take better care of her than I ever could." The ache in his chest grew and grew as he spoke. Adrien knew he meant every word no matter how much it hurt him. "Besides, Plagg. She loves him. Not me."

"Then how do you explain that?" Plagg asked, pointed behind him. Adrien's eyes followed his gesture to his desktop where an image of Ladybug and Chat Noir kissing floated across his screen saver.

"She forgot about Luka. I'm the second best, Plagg. And that's the truth."

"But…" Plagg started to argue, but Adrien couldn't continue this discussion much longer without the tears taking over.

"Enough, Plagg. Just drop it, alright? I've made my decision. I want to support Marinette and Luka. I want her to be happy, so let's just forget all this and move on. It's better that way for everyone."

Adrien didn't wait for a response, but instead got off the bed and headed into the shower. The kwami had long established that he would never come into the bathroom uninvited, despite his ability to float through doors. Adrien turned on the water and quickly undressed and got in. Squatting down, he let the warm water flow over him, washing away all the tears that poured from his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2: Something's Wrong

"Paris seems safe tonight, milady. I think we can head home." Cat Noir told her. He had been very quiet during the entire patrol. His usually chatty demeanor was gone and he had missed several opportunities for a cat pun.

"Cat, wait," she said reaching out to hold his arm, preventing him from leaving. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, milady. I'm just tired." He replied, but Ladybug knew he was lying. She tugged on his arm making him come closer.

"It's not 'nothing' and I know you're not tired. Tell me what's going on, kitty." She stared straight into his green cat-like eyes. He looked sad and hurt, and she wanted to know why. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I...I learned something today…" he started, turning his face away from her, as if looking at her was painful. "And I'm just getting used to it. That's all."

"Getting used to it?" Ladybug asked, having no clue what he could possibly be talking about. She let go of his arm and sat down on the Paris rooftop, motioning him to do the same. "Come on, give me more than that."

"I really don't think I should, milady," he said, neither looking at her or moving to sit. "I don't want to make things difficult for you."

"Difficult for me? Alright, kitty, now you really have me worried. Please sit down and tell me what's going on." He looked at her and she nodded at him encouraging him. She had never seen Cat Noir this serious before. Or this upset. Whatever was going on, she wanted to help her friend. Slowly, he took a seat beside her, but there was a long silence before he spoke again.

"Milady, I...you...you should ask that boy out," he said softly. Ladybug's grew wide in surprise.

_This is what's bugging him? Seriously? _She thought.

"Cat…" She started to argue with him, but he cut her off in a rather angry tone.

"He likes you! Alright! I know he likes you and you like him, so, just get together already, ok?" He turned his head and she could see the pain and hurt in his eyes.

"How...how do you know he likes me?" _It's not like he knows my identity. _

"I saw you," he added, turning from her again. "Please don't be mad. I wasn't trying to figure out who you were, I swear. But I saw you de-transform."

"You...you…" Ladybug felt her body go stiff. "You aren't supposed to…"

"I know, I know, I know. But, trust me, it was an accident. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, milady. Please don't be mad."

"Well..." she considered the risks of him knowing her identity, but she could tell that it really was an accident and there was no one she trusted more than her partner. "I'm not mad. I'm...shocked, but I guess there was a good chance it would happen eventually anyway."

Cat Noir nodded his agreement but didn't say anything else.

"Is that...is that why you were upset? Because you thought I would be mad?" She asked, knowing the answer was no, but not really sure how else to get him talking again.

"No. I just...It's…" Cat Noir sighed deeply and buried his face in his hands for a moment. "I knew that you liked some other. Before, I didn't let it bother me too much, but now...Now I _actually _know who it is. And I know that I don't stand a chance against him. And, more importantly, he's a good guy. He would treat you well and if you want to be with him, you should be. I _want _you to be with him. I want to see you happy. Even if...even if it hurts me a little."

"Cat...I…" his confession left her speechless. She wasn't sure what surprised her more: That Cat Noir knew who she was or that he was supporting her even though she wanted to be with another boy.

"So, just tell him. Ok? Tell him how you feel and start dating already." He added forcefully as if her being single was hurting him.

_Of course, it is. _She thought. _He knows me in real life. He knows I have a crush on Adrien. It must kill Cat Noir to watch me make a fool of myself every time Adrien is around. _

"It's...it's not that simple, Cat," she argued, knowing that she didn't have the courage to confess her feelings. "Every time I try to tell him, I just freeze up. I can't do it."

"And why not?" Cat demanded, turning his gaze towards her. "He likes you. Can't you see that he likes you?"

"R-really?" Ladybug began stumbling over her words, "D-do you really th-think he likes me?"

"Are you crazy!?" he snapped at her. "Of course he does and _everyone _knows it! He is head-over-heels for you! Every time he looks at you he is like a love-sick puppy dog for crying out loud!"

Ladybug was sure she was blushing now. The thought that Adrien might actually like her was overwhelming. But she also trusted Cat Noir. If he said Adrien liked her, it must be true.

"But Cat...what do I say to him?" she hated herself for asking, knowing that the whole conversation must be hurting him, but she also wanted to honor his request.

"You say 'Hey! I like you! Want to go to the movies on Friday?' And viola! A puuuurfect relationship is born." He turend and grinned at her. She could tell he had forced the pun and smile for her sake, but she greatly appreciated the gesture.

"Ok, Cat. I'll tell him." She said. _For your sake, Cat. I'll tell Adrien how I really feel._ "Thank you."

"You're welcome, milady. Good luck." He stood to leave, but Ladybug had one more question that she had to have answered.

"Wait," she said, getting to her feet as well, "I know you, don't I? I know you outside the mask."

"Yes." he answered. "You do."

"Then….then who are you?" She knew she shouldn't have asked, but her curiosity was getting the better of her.

"Milady," he frowned and looked away. "I'm happy for you, really. But it's hard enough to tell you to go for another man while wearing this mask. Please, just let my keep my secret identity a little longer. Just until I'm ready. Then I promise to tell you."

"Alright Cat. I understand." He nodded and she watched as he took off into the night. Ladybug turned towards her home as well, replaying their conversation over and over in her head for the rest of the night.


	3. Chapter 3: WWTD? (What Would Tikki Do?)

_Come on, think, Plagg! _The kwami of destruction thought to himself, _What would Tikki do? What would Tikki say?_

Plagg had watched helplessly as Adrien performed a session of pure self-torture as he cleared his room of photos of Ladybug and replaced them with images of Luka and Marinette. He had even gone as far as to create a banner read "Team Lukanette!" which was now hanging over his bed. Plagg had tried to get him to stop, but Adrien said that the images would help him move on and be supportive of his friend.

_Gods, what am I supposed to DO with this boy? _Plagg munched on his cheese as Adrien put the final touches on his Lukanette shrine.

"There!" Adrien declared. "Much better." The boy laid down on his bed and reached for his phone. He frowned and Plagg assumed it was because Adrien hadn't yet deleted the image of Ladybug that served as his background. Plagg watched closely as Adrien began aggressively tapping his phone. The kwami just assumed he was deleting images.

Finishing his cheese, Plagg glanced towards the trash can. It was overflowing with crumpled pictures and a large scrapbook that Plagg knew was full of newspaper clippings. Floating over to it, he selected Adrien's favorite photo and drifted over to his pathetic friend. Hoving between Adrien's face and his phone, Plagg held up the image.

"Plagg. Put that back." He muttered, waving the kwami away. "I already told you, I'm over it."

"Liar," he countered. "You hate this. This is torture for you! STOP IT!"

"I can't, Plagg!" Adrien cried. "I can't lose her as a friend! I can't do it! So I _have _to learn to accept this. Why can't you understand that?"

"Because you could _fight _for her! You never know what could happen!" Plagg protested, but Adrien shook his head.

"It's not worth the risk. I have to let this happen."

"FINE! Have it your way!" Plagg floated back to the other side of the room in a huff.

_Let him torture himself. It will all get fixed eventually. _Plagg told himself, imagining that it was Tikki talking to him. _When Marinette confesses to him, he'll see what an idiot he is! _

Yet, part of him worried. What if Marinette didn't confess?

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"What do I do, Tikki?" Marinette asked while she finished brushing her teeth. Her talk with Cat Noir had sent her brain into a tailspin. She had said she would confess her feelings, but doing so was another matter.

"Uh...Marinette. You confess to Adrien. Why is this even a question?" Tikki replied.

"Because you know how flustered I get! It's not like I haven't tried to tell him before." She argued, feeling embarrassed and stupid.

"True, but Cat Noir is counting on you. You saw how much it was hurting him to support you. You can't let him down, Marinette."

Marinette leaned back against the pillows on the chaise she was sitting on. Her kwami was right, but she wasn't sure she was brave enough to follow through.

_But I have to try, _she scolded herself. _I have to try for Cat._


	4. Chapter 4: Be Brave

_Ok, Marinette, you got this! _She told herself as she walked up the stairs to school. She had considered calling Alya for help but decided against it. It wasn't Alya's wonderful pep talks that helped her in the past so, instead, she kept Cat Noir's words close to her heart. She focused on the memory of his sad eyes as she opened the school doors.

Adrien Agreste was already standing in the open area of the school building, talking to Nino. As she entered the school, he spied her and gave her a polite wave. Taking a deep breath, she waved back and started her approach.

"Oh, hey, Marinette!" Nino greeted her as soon as he noticed her coming over. "How's it going?"

"Good Nino. Have...have you seen Alya?" she asked, not really caring about his answer, but rather avoiding Adrien's piercing green eyes.

"No, not yet." Nino glanced between Marinette and Adrien and the quickly spoke again. "Actually, I better go call her! I don't want her to be late for school. Later dudes!" He hurried off, reaching into his pocket as he left.

"See ya!" Adrien called as his friend left. Then he glanced back down at Marinette. "You're here early, Mari."

"Me? Ear-early? Uh, yeah...my almond...I I I mean _alarm..._my alarm went off...early…" Marinette felt her face flush. _What am I even saying?_

"Are you nervous?" He asked with a teasing smile.

"N-nervous? Why….why would I be nervous?"

"The test of course." He said with a shrug. "Everyone's a little on edge about it this morning."

_Of course! The test! _Marinette wasn't particually worried about it since it was over one of her favorite historical periods, but she was gratefully for the excuse.

"Yeah. History test. Nervous." She managed to meet his gaze and found herself lost in his deep, thoughtful eyes.

"It's alright, Marinette," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You got this. Just take a deep breath and say what you need to say."

His caring voice and reassurance left Marinette speechless. There was a slight pause in their conversation and Adrien blushed slightly. Pulling his hand back, he scratched the back of his neck, looking away.

"I mean, on the test of course. Just say what you need to say on the essay questions and you'll be fine." He had a strange look on his face as he said and Marinette couldn't help but notice his sudden awkwardness.

_Does he know? _She wondered. _Did Cat Noir tell him I was going to confess? _

Suddenly, his eyes perked up and he smiled.

"Hey, I forgot that I needed to tell Nino something, but look." He pointed towards the school door as a new group of people arrived. "There's Luka. He's a good tutor. Maybe he can run over your history notes with you before the test. See ya later, Marinette!"

Before she could react, Adrien was gone. He fist-bumped Luka on his way out of the building and said something. Luka looked in her direction, a little confused, but then smiled at her and closed the distance between them.

"Morning, Blue," he greeted her with the little pet name he had given her. "Adrien said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Uh, yeah, about that…" She tried to come up with an explanation, but Luka filled in the blanks first.

"Let me guess. You were trying to confess to him and you said something stupid?"

"How...how did you know that?" Her face blushed even deeper at Luka's accurate assumption of the situation.

"Because I know you, Blue." Marinette looked down at the ground and shuffled her feet. "You should just tell him. It's obvious he's crazy for you."

"But..wait...what?" she glanced back up at him and his face told her that he was serious. "You too? You really think he likes me?"

"Yep," he said nodding. "I'm happy for you, Marinette. You should tell him."

Marinette felt her heart skip a beat. They had never really talked about his love confession after the Silencer event, but suddenly, she had to ask him about it.

"Luka, about what you said...after Silencer…" she wasn't really sure how to ask what she needed to, but Luka put a finger to her lips.

"I think I made my feelings clear, but you have a thing for Adrien. I know that. I've known that for a long time, Blue."

"Doesn't it hurt? To tell me to confess to another guy?" She asked as he pulled his hand away.

"Not really. At first, it hurt me, but not anymore. I just want to see you happy, Marinette. You're a good friend and your friendship means everything to me, Marinette."

The familiar words caught her off guard as she stared into his eyes. They were a bright blue, but suddenly, she recalled the strange green hue they had been when he was akumatized. The bell rang suddenly and Luka said farewell as he headed off to class. Marinette shook her head.

_But he can't be Cat Noir. Cat was there side-by-side with him. _Marinette mulled over the thought as she went to her classroom. As she took her seat, her mind was made up. _It was just a coincidence. That's all. Luka is most definitely not Cat Noir. _


	5. Chapter 5 (Really its Ch 4 continued!)

**So...this was actually supposed to be part of the last chapter lol. Sorry, it's so short, but I didn't want to add it to the next chapter so here ya go. A very short chapter, but I hope you like it!**

Adrien could get out of the school building fast enough. So much so that he bumped right into Nino as the door swung closed behind.

"Hey man!" Nino shouted.

"Sorry, Nino," he apologized quickly. "Did you get ahold of Alya?"

"What? No, why…" Nino paused, a look of horror spread across his face.

"Nino? Are you...are you hiding something?" Adrien leaned in close to his friend.

"WHAT? NO! I mean...I...uh…" Adrien rolled his eyes. Nino was always a horrible lier.

"Nino, Nino, Nino…" he teased. "What is going on?"

"Nothing, man! I just...I just wanted to give you and Marinette a chance to talk. That's all. So I kinda made up an excuse to get out of there."

"Wait, what? Why would you do that?" Adrien tilted his head to the side, confused at his friend's explanation.

"No one likes being the third wheel, man. It's lame." Nino said flatly, blowing a quick bubble with his gum.

"Third wheel? Third wheel to who?"

"Uh...you...and _Marinette. _Duh." Adrien took a step back in shock. "Don't act all surprised, yo. I can tell you've been crushin' on her something bad."

"Is...is it that obvious?" He asked as he felt the heat rising in his cheeks.

"I don't know about _obvious _but anyone who knows you can tell. At least, I can." Nino answered with a wink. "You should ask her out."

"No, she doesn't like me," he hung his head and shook it slightly. "She likes someone else."

"Are you kidding me? Marinette is _crazy _for you!" Nino said with enthusiasm. "She has been ever since your first day here! Haven't you noticed?"

"What are you talking about, Nino," he asked, not believing his friend for a second.

"Dude, you are way too dense." The bell rang suddenly and both boys turned to head inside. "Really, man, you need to ask her out."

_But I have, _Adrien thought to himself. _I have asked her out many times. She doesn't like me. Not like that. _

As he walked into the classroom, he glanced up at Marinette who was already in her place right behind him. Their eyes met and her face reddened slightly. The brief interaction caused his heart to skip a beat. He gave her a quick smile and then slid into his seat.

_She doesn't like me, _he reminded himself although with less conviction than he had earlier. _There's no way she likes me._


	6. Chapter 6: Confession

Cat Noir watched her on his perch. He knew it was a bad idea to spy on Marinette as she paced back and forth on her balcony, but he couldn't stay away. Nino's words had been echoing over and over in his mind since that morning. At home, he had stared hard at all the images of Marinette he had. Suddenly, he had seen her shyness and awkwardness with a new light. He had always assumed it was because he was a famous fashion model and Marinette was so into fashion itself. She had even told him she was one of his fans.

_But what if I was wrong? What if it was more than that? _

Finally, he could stand it no more and jumped over to her balcony using his staff.

"Hello, milady," he said softly as he landed on the ledge behind her. She jumped slightly but relaxed as she turned to face him.

"Cat Noir," she said, "You scared me."

"My apologies," he offered with a bow. "I didn't mean to catch you off guard. I just wanted to know how you're confession went today."

"Oh, that. Well...you see…" She tapped the ends of her fingers together lightly, a nervous habit that he had seen countless times.

"You chickened out," the words came out a bit harsher than he meant and he tried to keep his emotions in check. "Marinette, how hard is it to tell a boy you like him?"

"Very hard, Cat! I'd like to see you confess to some…" She froze and looked down at the finger she had been wagging at him. He cocked his head to the side and smiled.

"You were saying?" he asked, teasingly. Marinette crossed her arms and stared at him with a frown on her face, but it only made him smile even more. _She's so cute when she's mad. _

"Cat, I really do hate you some days."

"I know," he said, hopping down from his perch. "But, milady, I only tease because you're being so silly. You face akumas on a regular basis without a single hint of fear in your eyes, but a few simple words have you completely terrified."

Marinette shuffled her feet and looked away from him. She looked so small and frail that it took all his will power not to pull her into a tight hug. Instead, he proposed an idea that he knew would cause him a great amount of pain.

"Why don't you practice?" he asked, "I can stand here and pretend to be him and you can practice your confession."

She looked up at him with wide eyes. He put on the widest grin he could manage, masking the pain he felt in his chest.

"What?" she asked, "You'd do that?"

"Of course! I told you, I want you to be happy. So, if this will help you confess to him, then I'll do it."

"Oh, kitty," the gentle way she said his little pet name melted his heart in a way that only his lady could. "I know that this will hurt you. I can't ask you to do that."

"You didn't ask. I offered." He stated, confirming his dedication to helping her. "Go ahead. Make your confession." She stared at him for a long time but finally seemed to give in. Taking a deep breath and keeping her eyes closed she began.

"Ever since I met you, you have been so sweet and charming and...and…" Marinette's face turned beet red and her whole body went ridged. Cat Noir frowned at her as she peeked her eyes open. "This feels stupid, Cat."

"That's because you're over thinking this," He took a few steps over to her and placed a hand on each shoulder. "Try this. Repeat after me."

He cleared his throat and closed his eyes, purposefully being rather dramatic.

"I…" he started. When she didn't repeat, opened one eye and stared at her quizzically.

"I," she repeated, rolling her eyes.

"Like."

"Like."

"You."

"Cat, I can't just walk up to him and say 'I like you!'" she argued. He opened both his eyes and squatted slightly so his face was at her level.

"And why not?" he asked.

"Because that's now how you confess to someone! It's supposed to be poetic and jaw-dropping. Like...like..."

"Like, what?" he prompted.

"Like… 'You have been the song I hear in my head since the moment we first met!'"

"That's...oddly specific…" he commented, taken back by the poetic phrase. He stood to his full height and studied her for a moment. "Is that from a book or something?"

"It's...well...nevermind," she said, chuckling slightly.

"What? What is so funny?" he asked, eager to know what the joke was.

"Nothing. It's just...I thought for a moment that I figured out who you were today, but now I _know _I was wrong."

"Because I don't know where that line is from?" he asked in his usual teasing manner although his heart was beginning to race again.

"Yes," she said simply. "Although...no, nevermind. I know that he isn't you." She smiled at him sweetly and he felt a blush returning to his cheeks.

"So," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "About this confession...you should keep it simple. Otherwise, you might not get through it."

"You do have a point, kitty," she conceded. "But he deserves the perfect confession."

"Telling him you like him is perfect enough. He just needs to know how you feel."

"You really think so, kitty?" Her bright bluebell eyes gazed up at him, desperate for his reassurance. He smiled although he felt like he was going to cry.

"Of course, milady," he said softly. "Now, say your confession. Just say 'I like you'."

"I...I like you," she said muttered at a volume that only his cat-like ears could detect.

"Louder. His ears aren't that good."

"I like you," she said slightly louder, her eyes closed.

"Louder!" he ordered again with more force.

"I...I like you!" she repeated, this time with more volume, but Cat Noir wasn't satisfied.

"Come on, milady! Do you like this guy or not? Louder!"

"I...I LIKE YOU!" she screamed, taking both of them by surprise. She quickly covered her mouth and the deep blush of her cheeks returned.

"That's more like it!" he cried with satisfaction. "Just do that tomorrow at school, alright?"

Marinette nodded as she started giggling. Cat Noir joined in on the laughter as well.

"Oh, kitty," she cooed once the merriment subsided. "I wish you could be there with me tomorrow. I always feel so much braver when you're around."

The compliment warmed his heart but also sent another wave of pain over him. Still, he knew that his love for her outweighed his pain.

"I will be, milady. I'm much closer than you think."

"Thanks, kitty," she reached out and pulled him into a hug. Tears stung at the corner of his eyes, but he pushed past the hurt and returned her embrace. This was what Marinette needed and he was more than happy to accommodate.

**Ok, confession time. I really just wanted to do a Marichat scene where she is screaming her confession at him but both of them not realizing that it was Adrien she was thinking about. And this was the perfect story to slip it in. So, tada! I really hope you liked this one.**


	7. Chapter 7: Are We Friends?

Marinette knew she shouldn't hug him, but she couldn't help it. Over the years they had spent fighting side by side, she had come to depend on him. She needed him. His strong arms wrapped around her and held her close. Marinette closed her eyes and let his reassurance wash over her, but even then she wondered what it would be like to have Adrien hold her so gently. She clung to her partner tighter as the thought of Adrien and her, hopefully, soon-to-be confession sent another wave of fear over her.

"Cat?" she asked, not breaking away from him.

"Yes, milady?"

"Are we friends? Out...outside the mask I mean." She didn't look up at him, not wanting him to see the tears that were pooling in her eyes.

"Of course we are friends. And that friendship means everything to me." He responded, giving her an extra squeeze. Marinette frowned, the impending tears vanishing at the all too familiar words. She pushed against him, breaking their hug and stared into his face. Cat Noir's green eyes opened wide with shock at the sudden movement on her part.

"Say that again," she demanded. "Say it one more time."

"What? That..that your friendship means everything to me?" He repeated, looking confused and possibly a little scared. Marinette studied him intently. There was no way he was Luka, but the similarities were bugging her and she couldn't stand it any longer.

"Did you talk to me today? At school?" She watched as Cat Noir swallowed hard.

"Um...yeah…." his answer did little to calm the annoyance that was burning inside her.

"Did you encourage me to confess?" The question flew out of her mouth in a quick snap that made Cat Noir take a step back. "At school, I mean. Did you encourage me to confess at school?"

"Well...I...um…" Cat Noir was looking everywhere but at her. Finally, he hung his head in shame as he admitted that he had. A thousand thoughts flew her mind, but she could only form a single word.

"Luka?" Even as the name slipped past her lips, she knew it wasn't right. She knew that her kitty wasn't the kind, cool guitar player, but Cat Noir's head snapped back up instantly and their eyes locked.

"Luka?" he repeated. "What do you mean Luka?"

"Nothing," she said, letting out a sigh of relief. But then another thought crossed her mind that made her frown. _Who else encouraged me to confess to Adrien? _

"Milady?" Cat questioned her, but she held up a hand to silence him as she thought. She replayed her school day over and over in her mind and then a single phrase caught in her mind.

_Take a deep breath and say what you need to say. _

Adrien's words floated back to her and she looked up at Cat Noir. She stared deeply into his green eyes, taking note of his light, blonde hair. _It couldn't be, _she thought. Yet, she couldn't think of a reason the idea was wrong. Setting aside Cat Noir's cheesy puns and outlandish flirting, he actually was very much like Adrien. Of all the words she had ever used to describe Adrien could also be used to describe Cat Noir.

"What is it, milady?" his words jarred Marinette from her thoughts and she tried to think of what to say.

"Cat...who is it that you think I like?" she asked, her body shaking in anticipation of his answer.

"Um...uh...Luka," he answered in an unsure voice.

Marinette chuckled as the pieces began to fall into place. _Of course, _she mused to herself, _That's why he pushed me off towards Luka this morning. _Her chuckling turned into laughter as the reality of the situation sank in deeper.

"Milady?" Cat Noir questioned, but Marinette couldn't form an answer as she nearly doubled over, laughing hysterically. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied him scratching the back of his neck, a very typically Adrien move.

_How did I not see it? _She asked herself. _How on earth did we not realize this? _

"I'm...I'm sorry, kitty," she said, slowly regaining control of herself. "I'm not laughing at you, I swear."

"Care to share the joke?" he said, his face clearly not amused.

"Hmm...not just yet," she answered, deciding that now wasn't the moment. After all, she couldn't really be sure, although she was. "I'll tell you after my confession. I promise."

"But...I'm right. Aren't I? About Luka?" he asked. Marinette smiled.

"Tomorrow, Cat. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."


	8. Chapter 8: Part-time Postman

Adrien stifled another yawn as walked up the steps that lead into the school. He hadn't slept much and had spent most of the night staring at a picture of Marinette. Their whole conversation yesterday had left his mind spinning. She had never really answered his question about if she liked Luka or not. Suddenly, he was second-guessing everything he knew, but he just couldn't let himself even begin to hope that she liked him.

He took a deep breath as he opened the door, preparing to plaster his face with a calm smile in case Marinette was already here. Glancing around, he saw that she was. She looked up at him and waved to him. He smiled and headed over to her. She quickly said something to Alya who was standing next to her and her friend quickly disappeared. A sudden wave of nervousness washed over him as he reached his lady.

"Is she ok?" he asked, gesturing in the direction Alya had run off in.

"Yeah, she's fine," Marinette answered, "But I needed to talk to you about something. Do you have a minute?"

"Sure," he answered, biting his tongue as her pet name threatened to slip out. Marinette smiled and led him down a hallway away from the crowd that was waiting for the bell. Once they were a safe distance away from everyone, Marinette turned to face him.

"Adrien, I need your help," She stated flatly.

"Um, ok. What is it?" he asked, all the more confused.

"I need you to take this to Andre after school," she said, producing a sealed envelope from her purse. "I...uh...set up a special surprise for someone, but I won't have time to run this to him. Could you do it for me?"

Adrien carefully took the envelope from her. It was a light pink and had Andre's name written across it. There was a post-it note with an address written down. Adrien assumed that was the location Andre was supposed to be that afternoon. It wasn't far from the school and since his father was out of town, he didn't need to rush back home.

"The romantic ice cream vendor?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow, "Does this have something to do with a confession?"

"Kinda," she admitted, a small blush forming on her cheeks. "I would have Alya do it, but she's busy."

"Sure," he agreed, happy that Marinette had finally worked out a way to confess to Luka. _Or whoever it is. _He thought, considering their conversation yesterday. "I can do it for you."

"Thanks, Adrien! I knew I could count on you," she cried as she stood on tip-toe to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You are _such _a good friend."

"Oh, yeah. You too." He said, trying hard to not show any sign that he felt an invisible knife that was plunging into his heart. The bell rang and both students headed off to class.

The rest of the day past slowly, but eventually Adrien found himself waving farewell to Nino as he headed out to find Andre's ice cream stand. Andre greeted him warmly as he approached.

"Ah, Adrien! It is good to see you, my friend!"

"Hey Andre!" he answered, fetching Marinette's note from his backpack. "My friend Marinette wanted me to give you this."

"Ah, yes. I was expecting this. Thank you, kind sir, for bringing it to me." Andre took the note and carefully opened it. He peeked inside and the slipped it into his money box. "Would be interested in a free scoop today?"

"Really?" Adrien asked, a little surprised at the offer.

"Of course, but in return for a favor," Andre said with a wink. "You were willing to run a quick errand for Marinette, would you do one for me as well?"

"Sure," he answered, eager to get some of the famous ice cream in his stomach. Andre scooped up some strawberry ice cream and placed it on a cone before handing it to him. "Here you are. Now, while you enjoy that, could you please take this to the girl working in the bookstore?"

Adrien followed Andre's gesture towards the small shop further down the road. Looking back at Andre he saw that he had produced a small green envelope.

"Well, that's easy," Adrien commented, taking a bite of ice cream as he reached for the note. "Seems I'm a part-time postman today!"

"So it seems my friend. Enjoy your ice cream!"

Adrien thanked the man and began the walk down the street to the bookstore. He quickly finished his ice cream and then headed inside. A small bell on the door announced his entrance and the store clerk looked up from the book she was reading.

"Welcome! How can I help you today?" she asked, giving Adrien a bright smile.

"Actually, I just came to drop this off for Andre," he said, holding up the card.

"Oh?" She asked, reaching out to take the card. "Oh...yes! Of course! _You _must be Adrien then."

"Wait...what?" he asked in confusion, but she was already heading to a back room, telling him to wait right there. He glanced into his shirt pocket at Plagg who shrugged his shoulders.

"Here it is!" the clerk cried as she returned, holding up a folded umbrella. "I was told you needed this."

She handed the umbrella to him and Adrien glanced between it and the store clerk. He was trying to piece together what was going on, but then he suddenly recognized the umbrella. It was the one he had given Marinette the day they first met.

"There's a note attached to handle," the store clerk pointed out. Adrien spied the piece of paper taped to the handle and quickly ripped it off.

_From the first day I met you, I knew you were special. _

_Find the balloon vendor at the Eiffel Tower._

Adrien glanced back up at the clerk who was smiling.

"Am I on a scavenger hunt?" he asked. The lady shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know about a scavenger hunt, but the girl who dropped off that umbrella this morning was very excited."

"Dark hair, blue eyes?" he asked, his heart beginning to race. The clerk nodded, confirming his suspicion.

Adrien wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew he wasn't going to waste any time. He quickly thanked the clerk and bolted towards the Eiffel Tower.

_Marinette, I swear if this is a confession for me, I'm going to die._

**And, he's off! So much fun, but on a more solemn note: Tears and prayers for all of Paris today. If you have not heard the famous Cathedral of Notre Dome was on fire today. No matter your faith or background, this is a devastating loss for Paris, France, and the entire world. As a Catholic myself, I had hoped to make a pilgrimage to see this beautiful church, but now, after 14 centuries, a part of it has been lost. My heart is heavy and I will mourn alongside the world.**

**Prie pour nous Notre Dame.**


	9. Chapter 9: It Was Always You

Adrien sat on the park bench munching on the green gumdrops, as he watched the sun begin to set. After collecting the umbrella, he had been sent to a series of locations where he had picked up a note with a few words, as well as the next location, and a small token. The meaning of the tokens hadn't been apparent to him at first, but now that he pondered them more, their meaning became clear.

The gumdrops had come from the second location and were for the gum that he had tried taking off Marinette's seat. Next can a water bottle which Adrien assumed was to represent the rain that had fallen on his first day of school. The third item was a bracelet made of braided black twine. It was only after the fifth item, a box of camembert with a note that it was for Plagg, did Adrien realized that it represented the belt he wore as Cat Noir.

Marinette had, somehow, figured out his identity. Altogether, his message so far contained no confession of love, but it didn't deny it either. The last clue was a Ladybug charm, but it hadn't come with a location like the others. Instead, it said 'cat phone' and indicated a time, which hadn't arrived yet.

Adrien popped the last gumdrop into his mouth and pulled out the notes Marinette had left. He read through them in the order he had received them and mentally noted which item had arrived with it.

_From the first day I met you, I knew you were special. (umbrella)_

_At first, I thought you were another spoiled rich kid. (pack of gumdrops)_

_But then I saw your kindness, your generosity (water bottle: rain)_

_At the same time, I saw your bravery, your courage (black bracelet)_

_But I didn't realize it was you...because you had a secret (camembert)_

_I had a secret too, but you already know that. (Ladybug charm)_

Adrien checked his phone again, but he still had another ten minutes.

"Anxious, are we?" Plagg asked from his pocket. He was eating the last of the camembert cheese Marinette had provided.

"Just a little," he answered, "She hasn't said how she feels about me yet."

"Kid. She just set up this whole little game for you. Do you really think she doesn't like you?"

"Well, you never know. It could just be a way to repay me for being a good friend." He mused out loud. "Especially after the last few days."

"Nope. I say she likes you," Plagg commented.

Adrien hoped his kwami was right, but until he heard it from Marinette herself, he wasn't about to let his hopes get the better of him. The two friends sat in silence as the sun started setting. Adrien checked his phone again and saw that it was almost time.

"Alright, Plagg," he said standing up. "Time to go."

He quickly found an abandoned alley and transformed. Cat Noir jumped up to the nearest building and eagerly waited, staff in hand. At precisely the right time, a message came through from Ladybug indicating an address. Without any hesitation, he took off towards the location.

As he got closer to the designated rooftop, he could see the candles flickering. When he landed from his final jump, tears stung at his eyes. The rooftop was covered in red rose petals and lined with candles. Cat Noir gasped at the realization of where he truly was. This was the exact rooftop where he had confessed to Ladybug all those years ago. In the middle of the open area was a table with a single rose in a vase. A red card was propped up against it. Picking up the card he quickly read what his lady had written.

_What you don't know, is that the boy I liked…_

He eagerly turned the card over, but nothing more was written. He glanced around for another clue but saw none. Unsure of what to do, he turned around only to find his lady standing there a few feet away.

Ladybug was holding up a sign that told him everything he needed to know.

_It was always you._


	10. Chapter 10: Together

Ladybug waited patiently in her hiding place until Cat Noir appeared. Careful to not make a sound, she took her position behind him. Holding up the sign, she waited. Her body shook with anticipation as he picked up the note and then glanced around. As if in slow motion, he finally turned around and saw her.

The look on his face was priceless and made her feel like she was going to burst with excitement. She waited, eager for him to say something, but he was silent. One hand went to cover his mouth and the other to scratch the back of his neck. She struggled to contain herself, but she wanted him to speak first.

"Milady," he said moving his hand away from his face slightly. "Is this...is this really happening?"

"Yes," she said with a chuckle. "Yes, it is kitty."

"This...this whole time." He struggled to say and she could tell that he was overcome with emotion, just as she was. "You've liked me and I've liked you….but we...we…"

"We didn't see it," she finished for him.

"Marinette," he started but then paused. "No, wait. I need to do this as Adrien. Plagg, claws in."

She watched in awe as a green, simmering light transformed him back into the boy she had been crushing on for years. She whispered her words of detransformation as well and soon Tikki and Plagg appeared. Tikki quickly grabbed Plagg and pulled him out of sight where Marinette knew a tray of macaroons and camembert was waiting for them.

"Marinette," he started again, his face turning a deep red. "I started having feelings for Ladybug the first moment I met her. But, I want you to know, I started having feelings for Marinette too. Not at first, maybe, but over time. I liked Marinette before I knew she was Ladybug."

"Really?" she asked, her eyes growing full of tears. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course. I was just too much of an idiot. I wanted to forget Ladybug and ask you out, but I thought you liked Luka and...and I didn't want to ruin our friendship."

"Well, I guess I can't blame you for that. Now, do you see why I was laughing yesterday?" She asked in a teasing manner.

"Yes. And...you...you were practice your love confession to me…" Adrien couldn't even finish the sentence as laughter overtook him. Marinette began laughing too.

"Come here, bugaboo," he said, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms around her. Letting her sign fall to the ground, Marinette clung to him as their laughter slowly faded. "How did we not see this?"

"I don't know, kitty. But we see it now," she answered, burying her face in his shirt as the tears, once again, began sliding down her face.

"Well, I guess that explains Oblivio," Adrien's words sparked her curiosity and she looked up at him. His green eyes were twinkling in the candlelight and she could see a few tears on his face as well.

"What do you mean?" she asked, not sure what he was getting at.

"You kissed me. Or have you forgotten that picture Alya snapped of us?" Marinette blushed at the memory. She, of course, couldn't remember the kiss, but she suddenly remembered the kiss she could recall.

"Yes, I did you kiss you. Twice actually."

"Yeah...but at least you can remember one of them," He said with a grin, making her blush all the more.

"Jealous?" she said, teasing him.

"No, but I would like to get a kiss that I can remember. If I may, that is."

Marinette felt her breath catch in her throat, but she nodded slightly and pushed herself onto her tiptoes, angling for the long-awaited kiss. Adrien eagerly pulled her into him and his lips found hers. She moved her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, pulling him closer to her. His kiss was sweet and passionate. She never wanted it to end and, judging by how tightly he held her, it seemed Adrien didn't want it to end either.

When the finally pulled apart, Adrien gently wiped the tears from her cheek with his thumb as he pressed his forehead into hers.

"I love you, Marinette," he whispered. "I've always loved you."

"I know," she whispered back. "I'm sorry it took me so long to confess."

"No, don't be. This was perfect. More than perfect. Just promise me one thing."

"What is it?" she asked, wondering what more he could want from her.

"Be my girlfriend," he said with a smile, pulling back slightly so that their eyes met.

"Of course I will be, you dummy," she said with a giggle. "Why else would I send you tromping around all of Paris?"

"Because I'm _such_ a good friend," he said, eyes twinkling.

"Adrien Agreste, I swear…" she started banging on his chest with her fists, but he silenced her pretend anger with another kiss.

"You swear what, milady?" he asked as he pulled back, but he kissed her again before she could answer. Marinette savored the kiss and waiting until he pulled back again to answer.

"That we make the puuuurfect couple," she whispered to him.

"That's my line, bugaboo," he corrected. "Or are you the one making puns now?"

"How about we make them together?" she suggested.

"Fur real?" he asked, a devilish grin spreading across his face.

"Fur real, my kitty." Adrien raised her hands to his face and gently kissed them.

"In that case, milady, we are going to need to come up with a few ladybug puns."

"Nah," she protested, "There's plenty of cat puns to _bug _you with."

Adrien closed his eyes and pulled her in close again. She wrapped her arms around him and felt his body shake with the laughter that had yet to escape his lips. Smiling, she knew that this was the beginning of something miraculous.


	11. Epilogue

Luka watched as Adrien and Marinette walked up the stairs and headed into the school. They hadn't even noticed him as he sat, scribbling in a notebook. He smiled at the couple as they passed by.

_Congrats, Blue. _He thought to himself. _I really am happy for you. Maybe someday, I can find a love like yours. _

As the door closed behind the happy pair, Luka turned his attention back to his notebook which contained lyrics he had been working on. Seeing Marinette and Adrien walking by, hand and hand had finally given him the final line of the refrain. He tapped the rhythm with his pen, making sure it worked. Nodding with satisfaction, he jotted down the line.

"Um...excuse me?" Luka looked up at the girl in front of him. She stood with her arms crossed over a small notebook and was kicking the ground with her foot. She was wearing black leather boots, that rose to her mid-calf, and a denim skirt and a green t-shirt with purple flowers on it. Her long, black hair was braided into two pigtails that ran down the front of her shirt. Her face was angled away from him as she spoke."You're Luka Couffaine….from Kitty Section...right?"

"Um...yeah," he answered. The girl dropped into a bow and held out the notebook and pen she was holding. His eyes widened as he saw that a picture of Kitty Section had been tapped to the front of it. He recognized instantly as a screenshot from the video they had made for Bob Roth's competition.

"Could I have your autograph?" she asked in a rushed voice as if she couldn't get the words out fast enough. Luka gingerly took the notebook from her and opened it to the first page. He had never been asked for his autograph before. Kitty Section had gained some local popularity from appearing on live TV, but they didn't have any raving fans like this girl appeared to be.

"Sure." He said, beginning to scribble out his name next to his picture that was glued on the inside. He felt his face blushing as he took note of one of his song's lyrics was written on the page as well. "You like our music, then?"

"Like it? I love it!" She cried, looking up at him. Her hazel eyes were beaming with a brightness that Luka felt he was going to have to write a song for later. "Your music is moving, inspiring. So full of passion! It's like...listening to a song I didn't know my heart was signing."

The girl stopped suddenly and her face turned a deep shade of pink. Luka chuckled at her compliments. Handing the notebook back to her, he smiled.

"Thank you. I'm happy to have you as one of my fans."

She took the notebook from him, thanked him, and then dashed into the school building. Luka suddenly realized that he didn't catch her name and took off after her. As he rushed in the door, he accidentally bumped into Adrien.

"Oh, hey Luka," Adrien said with a friendly smile. "Someone's in a hurry this morning."

"Did...did you see a girl come in? With long dark braids?" he asked, scanning the school building by not finding her.

"Oh, do you mean Annette?" he asked.

"Is that her name? Annette?" Luka didn't know why, but he felt his heart start to beat a little faster.

"Yeah. She just moved here and is in my class. Apparently, she's a big fan of Kitty Section." he said with a wink.

"Oh, yeah. I...I know." Luka felt his face blushing. Adrien studied him for a moment and then smiled.

"Do you...like her?" he asked.

"What? No! I mean...I just met her!" Luka didn't like how defensive his voice sounded, but Adrien only chuckled at him and patted his shoulder.

"It's alright man. I'm just teasing. But if you decide you like her, I'll be 'Team Lukanette' all the way."

The school bell rang as Luka felt his blush deepen. He headed off to class as a new song started forming in his mind.

_Team Lukanette. _He mused. _What a funny sounding thought._

**Thank you for reading! I really wanted to finish on a high note for Luka since he was the one really getting screwed over in this story. And now Adrien really is a Lukanette Shipper! I really hoped you like this story and let me know what you think! Be sure to check out my other Miraculous Ladybug Fics! **


	12. BONUS

**Yes, the story is over, but I have a little bonus for all of you. This is just a quick scene I had in my head ever since I started writing this, but it just didn't fit in with the rest of the story. So, while it did get cut from the story, I decided to polish it up a bit and put it here as a little bonus for all of you. I really do love you guys and your comments make my day! Don't forget to follow me as an author so you get updates on my future Miraculous stories! (Because, yes, I'm sure I'll write another one soon!)**

Adrien smiled as he held open his bedroom door for Marinette, thankful, once again, that his father had been out of town for all of this.

"Welcome, milady," he said with a boy. Marinette giggled, but suddenly stopped as she stepped into the room.

"Oh, my," Tikki, the kwami of creation cried as she floated into the room with Marinette right behind her.

"Uh...Adrien…." Marinette started but didn't continue. Looking up, Adrien felt his face begin to turn a deep red. In all the excitement over Marinette's confession last night and then his eagerness to get to school to see her again, Adrien had forgotten to take down all his Lukanette decor.

"Marinette, I uh…" he tried to think of how to explain his actions, but it didn't seem Marinette was even listening. She doubled over in laughter.

"Plagg," Tikki asked, "How could you let him do this?"

"I tried, sugar cube," The black kwami answered. "Trust me, I tried. But this kid was set on self-torture."

"A...Adrien...really? Did you really do this?" she asked in between the laughter.

"I...I wanted to support you," he said, hanging his head in embarrassment. "I thought this would help me get used to the idea."

"Oh, Adrien," Marinette cooed. "You are _such a good friend._"

"Shut up," he snapped. She had been teasing him about the statement he had used so often to describe their relationship before they had learned the truth.

"Make me," she said with a devilish smile. He took the hint. His embarrassment vanished as he grabbed her into his arms. He pressed his lips to hers and she instantly returned his kiss.

"Ugh," Plagg moaned. "Enough already."

_But it isn't enough. _Adrien thought as he continued kissing the only girl he knew he could love. _No, I will never get enough of this._


End file.
